Watch CBS News

Weather Blog: Several Chances For Rain This Week

By Kate Bilo

PHILADELPHIA (CBS)--We're in an active pattern this week but, unfortunately for snow lovers, all that activity probably won't amount to much white on the ground!

The pattern this week features that pesky polar vortex off to the north. A series of storms will be sent our way, each one bringing with it a reinforcing shot of cold air. We'll be slowly climbing back down to seasonable mid-January cold, one step at a time, through the weekend. This is still traditionally the coldest time of year for us, with high temperatures averaging in the upper 30's, and by the weekend that's just where we'll be.

Each of these storms is what we call an Alberta clipper - generally speaking, these are fast-moving, moisture-starved systems that originate the the mountains of western Canada and swing south and eastward with a little snow or rain and sometimes, a blast of cold air (FYI, there are also Saskatchewan Screamers and Manitoba Maulers. Sounds like a new football league, no? These are usually just lumped in with the clippers).

We've got a few chances at rain or snow over the next couple of days - a stray sprinkle tonight, maybe a flurry on Friday. Our best chance to get even some light coatings comes Saturday morning with a few snow showers, but it looks like nothing big.

Looking ahead in the forecast, it appears the cold and active pattern continues next week - I'm looking at some very cold air through the middle of next week with at least a few more light snow chances. No major storms on the radar for us, though a system that brings us snow showers next Wednesday could intensify into a bigger storm for New England. We'll keep you in the loop!

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.